Does Smithsonian pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Smithsonian employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.7 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Smithsonian. This rating has improved by 5% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Smithsonian?

66% of Smithsonian employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Smithsonian 4.1 out of 5 for work life balance, 4.0 for culture and values and 3.4 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Smithsonian?

Intern (56) , Internship (13) , Explainer (10) , Retail Sales Associate (9) , Sales Associate (9) , Contractor (8) , Postdoctoral Fellow (8) , Research Assistant (8) , Museum Specialist (7) , Program Coordinator (7) , Security Officer (7) , Archivist (6) , Curator (6) , Education Specialist (6) , Program Assistant (6)

What are the pros of working at Smithsonian according to real employee reviews?

"And you will meet so many great people (tourist) from all over the world." ((in 63 reviews)); "Good benefits and bear transit" ((in 34 reviews)); "Great staff I enjoyed my time there." ((in 20 reviews)); "Great coworkers and behind the scenes access to museum collections" ((in 18 reviews)); "Amazing opportunities to work on global projects and collaborate with internationally celebrated artists and scholars." ((in 17 reviews))

What are the cons of working at Smithsonian according to real employee reviews?

"Slow moving and low pay." ((in 26 reviews)); "Lack of leadership and hard to fire" ((in 13 reviews)); "Low salary for DC metropolitan area" ((in 12 reviews)); "Unpaid internship where I was doing some of the same work that paid employees were doing." ((in 12 reviews)); "Long hours and very administrative at times" ((in 8 reviews))

What are the top reviewed Smithsonian locations?

Washington , Chantilly , New York , Suitland , Arlington , Chicago , Front Royal , Annapolis , Edgewater , District Heights , Falls Church , Herndon , Manassas , Sterling , Wisconsin Rapids , Tucson , Ann Arbor , Burlington , Saint Cloud , Shepherdstown , San Diego , Berkeley , Las Vegas , Ruston , Seattle , Catonsville , Columbia , California , Chevy Chase , Fort Washington

Smithsonian reviews

4.1

66% would recommend to a friend

(508 total reviews)

Dr. David J. Skorton

75% approve of CEO

64% positive business outlook

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Smithsonian has an employee rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars, based on 508 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there. The Smithsonian employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Nonprofit & NGO industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

508 reviews

4.0

Sep 27, 2024

Great for emerging museum professionals!

Lead facilitator

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Meet lots of people and connections

Cons

Entry salary, really competitive hiring

4.0

Sep 23, 2024

Great colleagues, little upward mobility

Public affairs assistant

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Learning opportunities and supportive colleagues

Cons

Frustrating process for job promotion; very bureaucratic

5.0

Sep 12, 2024

Museums + Science + Education + more

Director

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

The Smithsonian is made up of me suena, research centers, libraries and the National Zoo. There is more amazing work being done there than most people realized. I really enjoyed my experience and learned so much.

Cons

It is a large, quasi governmental organization, which means a lot of processes and policies that can make it hard to get work done.

Viewing 49 - 51 of 508 Reviews

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Jobs at Smithsonian

Gift Officer, IS-1001-13

Sustainable Agriculture Physical Scientist, IS-1301-13

Exhibition Coordinator, IS-1001-11

Facilities Services Worker

Public Affairs Specialist (Digital Communications), IS-1035-12

Smithsonian

Smithsonian reviews

Company ratings over time

Ratings by demographic groups

Reviews by job title

Great for emerging museum professionals!

Great colleagues, little upward mobility

Museums + Science + Education + more

Top companies for "Compensation and Benefits" near you

Jobs at Smithsonian